how loud is too loud?

[Wraith2097]

When I first purchased my bird the v6 was so quiet it was nearly silent. If you listened closely you could just make out the hum of the engine when in idle. Now, I pull in between some cars at work the other day and the engine itself sounds louder than it once was. It doesn't have an individual unusual sound, just louder as a whole. Instead of a steady hum it is now easier to hear the belts and other odds and ends moving inside. The best way to describe it is as if not everything is oiled enough.

I checked the oil and everything checks out as it should. However I have not had it changed in the time that I've had it. Could this be the cause of it? Or could it be in need of a tune up? The only other change would be the addition of the loudmouth roughly a month ago. Everything else is stock.

I have noticed one other sound, sometimes under acceleration I can just barely make out a whistling sound coming from the engine bay. Any ideas or info?

[TheGreenPunisher]

The only thing i can comment on is the "whistling sound" as my car has it too. It sounds more so what i would call a supercharger-whine or something of the type, but i think it sounds [img]graemlins/rock.gif[/img]

Every person to ever be in my car when im driving asks if i have a supercharger...and then when i tell them no...they are like...

[Fbody3400]

I get that whistle sound, but thats from my ram air. It can just be from air intakes. If its more of a supercharger like whine, its probably your alternator. My car sounded like it had a s/c for about a week [img]graemlins/rock.gif[/img] , but then the amps went down to like 8 :(

[dorkins]

i heard that sound next to me last night...its a scary sound... it was coming from a green trans am...

but, anyways... if your pullies are making noise... try spraying some wd-40 on them and see if it stops, worked for me with the a/c pully...

good luck

[Wraith2097]

Thats a good idea dorkins. I was unsure if wd-40 was good enough to use like that. I thought I read somewhere that it evaporates fairly quickly. So I can go ahead and spray it on all pullies? I'm hoping thats the only reason for my engine being a little louder. Hate to think of living with that for the life of the car. Sounds great normally, but as soon as your close to another object and idling you can hear the sound bouncing back, then it reminds ya of grandmas car or something.

[shenanigans]

3.8Ls are ALOT louder when you remove the airsilencer and such...

I used to not know my car was on... my mom drove mine and she was wondering what the wind rushing sound form the motor was... car had the cutout capped so it was pretty quiet.


Could also flush the motor, could be a dirty lifter.

[Loochy88]

Originally posted by Wraith2097:
Thats a good idea dorkins. I was unsure if wd-40 was good enough to use like that. I thought I read somewhere that it evaporates fairly quickly. So I can go ahead and spray it on all pullies? I'm hoping thats the only reason for my engine being a little louder. Hate to think of living with that for the life of the car. Sounds great normally, but as soon as your close to another object and idling you can hear the sound bouncing back, then it reminds ya of grandmas car or something.

just dont go spraying the pullies where the belt meets the pully. they make belt dressing for that.

[TheGreenPunisher]

Originally posted by Fbody3400:
I get that whistle sound, but thats from my ram air. It can just be from air intakes. If its more of a supercharger like whine, its probably your alternator. My car sounded like it had a s/c for about a week [img]graemlins/rock.gif[/img] , but then the amps went down to like 8 :(

I have a brand new alternator....its not the alternator....

I love the sound anyways....i can hear it clear as day...and my intake is the stock one.